Michigan Attorney General Picks Investigator for Flint Water Case

CHICAGO — The attorney general of Michigan said Monday that a former county prosecutor would lead his office’s investigation into the water crisis in Flint, where a 2014 switch of the city’s drinking water source led to contamination and widespread health concerns.

That former prosecutor, Todd Flood, will work with Andrew Arena, who once led the Detroit office of the F.B.I., to assess whether state laws were broken in that process, the attorney general, Bill Schuette, said.

This month, federal officials announced that they were also investigating the government missteps that contributed to the lead contamination. Mr. Schuette, a Republican, described the situation in Flint, where residents have been advised not to drink unfiltered water, as “a tragedy of immense proportion.”

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Months after the city of Flint, Mich., switched from a Detroit water supply to one from the Flint River, contaminants have sickened people. Residents have filed lawsuits, and the governor has apologized.CreditCreditJake May/The Flint Journal, via Associated Press

Mr. Schuette declined to provide an estimate of how long the state investigation might take, but said it would be thorough and exhaustive.

Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, and his administration have been criticized for failing to recognize the scope of Flint’s water problems and playing down warnings from scientists and residents for months. Governor Snyder has since apologized and declared a state of emergency in Flint.

Mr. Schuette said he hoped his investigation would help rebuild trust in government, but the Michigan Democratic Party denounced the decision to hire Mr. Flood, who has contributed to the governor’s campaign. Mr. Schuette said there would be no favoritism in the investigation.